Rugby World Cup 2015 IRB

With the World Cup now over, I took some time to reflect on who the best XV performers were at the tournament. This is my opinion, and as I illustrated with my backing of Australia to win the cup, I do get it wrong once in a while.

After a month and a half worth of thrilling rugby action that has seen 263 tries, 2351 points scored and 2,341,755 spectators walk through stadium turnstiles around England, we reach the moment everyone has been waiting for, The Final.

Friday night will see South Africa take on Argentina in a game neither side particularly wanted to be involved in. Both sides put in competent performances in the semi-finals but were beaten by better teams.

South Africa v New Zealand |Saturday 24 October | Twickenham, London | 17:00

Well, so much for the northern hemisphere producing the goods on their own patch. The final four teams remaining in the World Cup are all southern hemisphere sides. The first semi-final will pit the southern hemisphere's, and arguably world rugby’s, greatest rivals against each other.

South Africa and Wales will get the quarter-final phase of the Rugby World Cup underway when they meet at Twickenham on Saturday evening. Both sides have endured some tough times at the tournament thus far but have overcome those challenges and now find themselves among the final eight teams in with a shout of lifting the so Webb Ellis Cup.

The second quarter-final will pit the all-conquering All Blacks against the erratic French in a repeat of their 2007 encounter. The two sides have been involved in some classic World Cup matches over the years and this match promises to be one of the best.

Australia and Scotland will bring the curtain down on the quarter-final stage on Sunday evening. Both sides have exceeded expectations thus far and will hope to reach even loftier heights by advancing to the semi-finals.

The indomitable All Blacks look to defend their well-earned Webb Ellis trophy while host nation England are at the vanguard of a possible Northern Hemisphere resurgence on the world stage. The sixteen team tournament also offers the minnows ample opportunity to be hilariously outmatched, shattering egos and budding dreams of professionalism in an instant. The Springboks and Ireland seem to have hit blips in their respective form while tournament specialists Australia loom menacingly outside of the pre-tournament radar. Below is a quick summation of the four pools along with some predictions for their respective outcomes.

Pool A has rightly been dubbed the pool of death. The group features two former World Cup champions in the form of Australia and England as well as 2011 semi-finalists, Wales.

Whilst most of the tournament big guns would have taken your arm off if you offered them a spot in Pool B, if one looks a bit further into the dynamics of the pool as well as the opposition the winner is likely to face in the quarter-finals, they may think twice about their eagerness to join the group.

Pool C has the ironic contrast of containing both the highest ranked as well as the lowest ranked nations in the tournament.

Whilst Pool A rightly holds the pool of death title, Pool D should also get an honourable mention. On paper the group seems simple enough to call but you can never write off the French when it comes to upset results.

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